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Emperor Lizong of Song
Emperor Lizong (January 26, 1205 - November 16, 1264), personal name Zhao Yun, was the 14th Emperor of the Song dynasty, unless you wanna say the 5th Emperor if you ignore the Northern Song dynasty. His birth name was Zhao Yuju (趙與莒), but he changed it into Zhao Guicheng (趙貴誠) upon being adopted into Emperor Guangzong's line, because Gui was the first character for Emperor Guangzong's grandsons. He got his personal name Zhao Yun (趙昀) upon becoming Crown Prince. Zhao Yun was known to be a capable leader but focused more on pleasures than his realm. He was unable to remedy the situation of the Song against the Mongols, and died in 1264 without ever seeing his dynasty fall. Early life Born into obscure origins in 1205 at Hongqiao, Shanyin County, Shaoxing, Zhao Yun lived his early life as a ordinary person. It is said that before Zhao Yun was born, his father saw a visitor wearing a purple hat. It is further elaborated that three days after Zhao Yun's birth, his family heard horses outside and checked outside to see nothing. Zhao Yun is also said to sleep during the day and people claimed to see scales of a dragon on him. Zhao Yun's father, Zhao Xili, died in 1214 from a illness and his mother left and took him with Zhao Yurui to return to his family, and his grandfather though was able to support him and his younger brother Zhao Yurui. One day, in his teens during 1221, it was rainy and Yun and his younger brother, Zhao Yurui, who would be the father of Zhao Qi, was huddling under a bridge for cover. A official sent by the Influential minister Shi Miyuan, Yu Tianxi, was also under the Bridge with them seeking refuge from the rain and received food courtesy of Zhao Yun's grandfather. Yu discovered that Zhao Yun was part of the Imperial Family; he notified Shi. Shi wanted a different successor than the current Crown Prince, Zhao Hong, because Hong and Shi shared a mutual hatred of eachother, and Hong was caught planning to exile Shi. Shi, panicking, decided to replace Hong with another member of the Imperial Family, that being Zhao Yun. Yu Tianxi brought Zhao Yun (and Zhao Yurui) to Shi and Shi was impressed by their manners he sent them to Emperor Ningzong, who was also impressed (and Zhao Yun easily won his trust). He was appointed the adopted son and heir to the Prince of Yi in 1222 and got his named Guicheng. It is said that Zhao Yun was serious, well-mannered, studious, mostly silent, and wise before assuming the throne. It is also said that when Shi told Zhao Yun that he would plan to make Zhao Yun Emperor, Zhao Yun, with no expression, said "My mother is still at her household, how can I make a decision about this matter?""家中還有老母，此事自己怎能做出決定?" However, Emperor Ningzong refused to change Zhao Hong's position as Crown Prince. Zhao Yun was elevated to Imperial Son and Crown Prince in 1224. When Ningzong died, Shi let Zhao Yun into the Imperial Room first, and it is said that Zhao Yun was wearing a white robe, which confirmed a prophecy by Zhao Ruyu, a minister who dreamed he would ascend to heaven while carrying a white dragon. Zhao Hong was let in afterwards and was separated from his bodyguards. Then the Imperial Edict named Zhao Yun as Emperor and Hong was enraged and demanded he would not accept Yun as Emperor which it is said that the light shone Zhao Yun's shadow on the throne. Hong was forced to bow and then evicted out of the room. Reign Zhao Yun reigned from 1224 to 1264, initially ruling with the era name, Baoqing, meaning Precious Happiness. Although he held no real power (he did not even engage in politics), Shi being the de facto ruler, he indulged in pleasures (he let women from Lin'an in his palace; was criticized by his ministers. When Shi died, Yun took personal power and attempted to issue reforms; he was actually a capable political leader, and his reforms included a strict merit system, using the succession crisis in the Mongol empire to his advantage by helping build defenses, but since the Song was plagued with heavy corruption, Yun gave up and gave into pleasures, relinquishing power to Ding Daquan, a corrupt minister. During the Jin-Song invasions, he didn't really do much other than lounge lazily and had a really huge lust. To not damage his reputation, a official wanted him to compare him with Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Lizong said in response, "While my actions may not be moral, they are not as bad as the Ming Emperor." In 1254, he congratulated Wen Tianxiang for his excellence at local exams and gave him first rank. When the Mongols invaded a town that Ding presided over, Ding failed to report that the Mongols were winning, and so got no reinforcements, and the Mongols took the town. When Yun heard word of this, he was furious at Ding and demoted him. Death Zhao Yun became ill in 1264 and sent letters requesting doctors all over to attend to him, but no one answered; he died on November 16, 1264 and was succeeded by his nephew, Zhao Qi, whom he adopted. His Temple Name was Lizong (理宗), and it was gained due to his immense patronage towards Science and especially since he advocated Neo-Confucianism. Sources also report that there were other names suggested like Jing (景), Yun (允), Cheng (成), Chun (淳), and Li (禮), with Li being the final one drafted and was initally accepted until someone pointed out that this could also be Emperor Aizong of Jin's temple name, so they changed it. He was buried in Yongmu Mausoleum (永穆陵) in March 1265. Taboo Words These characters were not allowed when Zhao Yun came into power. * Yún (昀) * Yún (勻) * Yún (畇) * Xún (馴) * Xún (巡) Exhumation During the Yuan dynasty in 1279, his tomb was unearthed by a group of monks, and it is said that white gas came out of the tomb. The monks took out Zhao Yun's body which was said to be preserved due to mercury which the monks had to drain out of his body for three days and nights all the while kicking his head. It is said that Yun's head was so large, that a leader of Buddhist Monks cut it off and made it into a winecup. He held the winecup from six years, but eventually Kublai Khan, receiving reports of the head of the Monk's corruption, took all of his property including Yun's head (where it was housed in Beijing). After the Yuan dynasty was defeated by the Ming, their Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang issued a edict burying Yun's head to where his former burial site was. Family *Consort Jia, Jia Sidao's sister. **''The Princess Zhou of Han''. (female) *Unknown **''Zhao Wei, Prince Qichong of Zhao'' (祁衝昭王 趙維; 19 September 1238 - 21 November 1238). (male). Personality & Traits Zhao Yun seems to have been a loving and caring father, as shown with his daughter, the Princess Zhou of Han, born of his favourite Consort Jia, and also the only child of Zhao Yun to survive infancy. This attachment is further shown when he wanted a palace for the Princess who was married at 20, to be directly next to his own palace. Yun also grieved when the Princess died during her pregnancy. Zhao Yun was intelligent enough to govern the Empire but his lust overcame him and eventually he paid little to no attention towards governance. Zhao Yun though seemed worried about his Empire's future upon his death and having adopted an incompetent nephew, he tried his best to find a suitable teacher, but Zhao Qi never gained anything positive from it and his reign would eventually cause the downfall of the Empire. On the negative side, Zhao Yun was a selfish and stubborn Emperor, as evident when Ding Daquan failed to report his failure, and when Wu Qian argued about Zhao Qi's position as Crown Prince. Overall Evaluation Yun is traditionally thought to be among one of the worst Emperors in Chinese History, having failed to taken necessary steps to resist the Mongols and potentially help his Empire survive longer. He was a sex addict and a drunk, who often paid little to no attention to the Empire. His gain to the throne was orchestrated, and he only obeyed, further adding to his negative reputation. When criticized for his actions, he said it was not as bad as Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's, showing disturbing signs that simply did not care whether his actions were just or not. One actions historians mostly were conflicted over was his decision to help the Mongols attack the Jin dynasty, and especially because their ruler Aizong was desperate for peace even promising no war forever with the Song. He even performed sacrifices to Heaven and Earth only once. Some people have attempted to see the good in his reign, such as, the Mongols never made any major headway in the Song and even managed to kill Mongke Khan during his reign, which cemented the grounds of Mongol division. Yun did not try to let the Empire fall into disarray and even tried to promote reforms and science, which flourished under his reign, but the heavy corruption made it hard to enforce and eventually Yun gave into pleasure. Quotes “While my actions may not be moral, they are not as bad as the Ming Emperor." Fun Facts * Zhao Yun was the oldest Emperor of the Song Dynasty to die in office, at the age of 59. * A clear day (when Yu Tianxi discovered him) may have averted his succession. Category:Song Dynasty Category:Southern Song Dynasty